Urban Planner: June 17, 2014

Art: “Do I really need a workshop in walking?” This might be your reaction upon hearing that contemporary art publication C Magazine has organized a series of workshops around that very topic. Media artist Jessica Thompson might change your mind with her interactive, ambulatory project that aims to reveal and illuminate the transforming conditions of our city through sound. Small groups will meet at the corner of Dufferin and Queen to start the journey through Parkdale and Liberty Village. Advance RSVP to info@cmagazine.com is required. 6 p.m., FREE with advance RSVP. Details

Talks: Thanks to everything from the NSA leaks to tailored ads on Facebook, questions surrounding privacy, security, and surveillance are on a lot of minds these days. Hosted by the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, “Should Surveillance Scare You?” brings together Citizen Lab’s Chris Parsons and Toronto Star national security reporter Michelle Shephard for a conversation about the evolving role of digital surveillance. Free with RSVP here. , 7:30 p.m., FREE with RSVP. Details

Art: Music, dance, and film collide in The Shift, a collaboration between Music in the Barns and The Wandering Eye. The interdisciplinary happening at the Drake Underground will include four films on four screens. All films will feature dancer Margie Gillis, and will be set to live music from a diverse array of artists and genres, ranging from chamber music to beatboxing. Drake Hotel Underground (1150 Queen Street West), 8 p.m., $15-20. Details

Music: If the World Cup has turned you into a Brazilophile, or if you want to see what Brazil has to offer beyond talented footballers, an evening of music from South America’s largest country may be just what you’re craving. The Lula Lounge is host to a double bill of Brazilian artists, featuring the Toronto debut of duo Dois em Um and songs from Toronto-based songwriter Bruno Capinan. Lula Lounge (1585 Dundas Street West), 9 p.m., $10. Details

Ongoing…

Art: If The Forbidden City: Inside the Court of China’s Emperors has a mascot, it’s Emperor Yongzheng. The image of the 18th-century Chinese ruler dominates the promotional material of the exhibition, which is one of the centrepieces of the Royal Ontario Museum’s centennial year. His portrait certainly has visual appeal, but Yongzheng is also a figure associated with surprising elements of life within the former imperial palace. Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queens Park), all day, $27 adults. Details

“In the human figure one can express more completely one’s feelings about the world than in any other way.” – Henry Moore

These quotations, which welcome visitors to “Francis Bacon and Henry Moore: Terror and Beauty,” immediately establish the exhibition’s tone and focus. Each artist’s distortions of the human figure, shaped by their wartime experiences, capture the vulnerability of our mortal forms. Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas Street West), all day, $25 adults. Details

Festivals: Returning for its 20th year, NXNE is celebrating the milestone by offering audiences another vast selection of events to sift through and enjoy over the course of nine days. While music may still be its focal point, the festival has developed over the years into a mirror image of SXSW—a multidisciplinary arts extravaganza that people look forward to all through the winter as if it were a light at the end of a dark and dreary tunnel. After enduring an especially long and brutal stretch of cold weather this year, it will feel especially rewarding to slap on a wristband and squeeze every ounce of pleasure out of the 2014 lineup. Multiple venues, all day, Various prices. Details

Film: Every part of our city will be drenched in WorldPride this summer, including the TIFF Bell Lightbox. Bent Lens: Pride on Screen comprises nearly two months of screenings, exhibits, and speaking engagements that reflect the broadness of our LGBT community. Check out films under the stars in David Pecaut Square (with a focus on the works of Derek Jarman and Bruce LaBruce), take in a conversation with Laverne Cox of Orange is the New Black, and much more. TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King Street West), all day, . Details

Markets: Although living in the centre of downtown is awesome, it does have its drawbacks—namely, the lack of nearby farms and the delicious fresh produce they provide. But not anymore! Every Tuesday until October, CityPlace Farmers’ Market will be setting up shop in Canoe Landing Park, nestled in the heart of condo-ville. Drop by to stock up on fruits, vegetables, and other goods, grown, made, and sold by local farmers. Canoe Landing Park (Fort York Boulevard and Dan Leckie Way), 3:30 p.m., FREE. Details

Outdoors: If you’ve ever walked through a park and come across a group of people moving slowly in unison, this is your chance to find out what they’re up to. Every Tuesday this summer, Harbourfront Centre will be hosting free Tai Chi classes in the Exhibition Common. Join instructor Eti Greenberg for an hour of stretching and positions to focus the mind and promote good health. Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West), 6 p.m., FREE. Details

Sports: Align your body, ease your mind, and get your retail therapy all in one stop this summer at the Shops at Don Mills. Bring your mat for free Yoga in the Town Square every Tuesday and Thursday, courtesy of Titika. Shops at Don Mills (1090 Don Mills Road), 7 p.m., FREE. Details

Theatre: If you haven’t heard of Twelve Angry Men, you’ve likely seen it parodied in a number of movies and television shows over the years. Now here’s your chance to see the real deal, on stage, thanks to the Soulpepper Theatre Company. Watch the drama unfold in a claustrophobic deliberation room as one dissenting juror unravels what is supposed to be an open-and-shut murder case. Young Centre for the Performing Arts (50 Tank House Lane), 8 p.m., $29–$74. Details

Theatre: First things first: the Tarragon Theatre mainspace is now licensed. That means that during its current production, The God That Comes, starring Hawksley Workman—which has set up the space like a dark, sultry 1930s cabaret with crystal chandeliers, long white tablecloths, and deep crimson curtains—you can sip a glass of red while one of Canada’s best rockers uses his beautiful voice to scream into your face. Tarragon Theatre (30 Bridgman Avenue), 8 p.m., $40. Details

Happening soon:

Urban Planner is Torontoist‘s guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every weekday morning, and in a weekend edition Friday afternoons. If you have an event you’d like considered, email us with all the details (including images, if you’ve got any), ideally at least a week in advance.